Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, Mr. Charles McCants, and Mr. Rob Kirkendall discuss the idea of "Classical Education," and our collective reflections on what it is and isn't from years of experience. Part one of a two part conversation.

After a four month (unplanned) hiatus, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants dust off the podcast equipment and talk about Purpose and Care.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving as a nation, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants discuss the virtue of gratitude. Short video with the voice of Br. David Steindl-Rast on gratefulness.

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants try something a little different. Before recording we each listed what we believe are five attributes of outstanding students - those all around 95th percentile students we've had the pleausre of working with over our careers in education and formation. During the episod…

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants are joined today by Mr. Bob Luddy, Founder and Chairman of STMA, for a conversation about culture, standards, and integrity among other points of discussion. We remain ever grateful for Mr. Luddy's vision, leadership, and tremendous generosity in support of our mission at STMA, as well a…

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants discuss the topic of self-discipline as it relates to student outcomes.

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants discuss the topic of Holy Obedience as it relates to our faith and lives, especially in connection to the young people we are working to form to the greater glory of God.

This episode features the story of Joseph Dutton, an American veteran who spent the last half of his life working with leprosy patients in Molokai, Hawaii. This lecture by Ms. Adriana Watkins was given to students at STMA in April 2023. Dutton’s life is a beautiful example of the way God’s Providence follows us through strange turns of fate, and ev…

This episode features Mr. Rob Kirkendall, Instructor in the Humanities, delivering a lecture to the student body titled “Becoming Prayer: Adoration and the Life of St. Titus Brandsma.” St. Titus, canonized a year ago by Pope Francis, was a Dutch journalist, educator, Carmelite priest, and mystic who was martyred in Dachau by the Nazis for coordinat…

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants shift the discussion from Boys Adrift to the topic of girls and young women as related to Dr. Leonard Sax's book, Girls on the Edge: Why So Many Girls Are Anxious, Wired, and Obsessed - and What Parents Can Do. A main point of emphasis for this conversation is the high l…

Apologies, for some reason the recording of this podcast cut off at the 33 minute mark, and we didn't realize it until later. In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants continue discussing the topic of boys and young men that struggle (or more appropriately, don't) with positive engagement in life and arrested de…

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants discuss the topic of boys and young men that struggle (or more appropriately, don't) with positive engagement in life and arrested development. Over the years we've had more than a few conversations with parents about sons that seem to lack any and all motivation to work…

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants discuss the topic of paying attention. The ability to pay attention is a critical life skill, but not unlike prayer it is one of those things we tell people (especially students) to do, without really explaining how they go about doing it. We share some thoughts on the s…

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants sit down for a conversation with STMA Alumnus Deacon John De Guzman ('14) about his time at the Academy, his studies at St. Charles Borromeo College Seminary, and Theological College Seminary at Catholic University of America. Deacon John also discussed his discernment and vocation to th…

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants express gratitude for the wonderful students we get to build relationships with at STMA.

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants discuss the parent suggested topic of nihilism. We ended up discussing both nihilism and apathy as they are closely related and often overlap. They are both topics worthy of much longer conversations, but we hope this relatively brief episode might provide some insights to t…

In this episode, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, Charles McCants and Adriana Watkins discuss the discernment of gifts and talents. We have all been given unique gifts and talents by Our Lord and are expected to multiply them throughout our lives in who we are called to BE and what we are called to DO. But when we express this to young people …

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Mr. Charles McCants sit down for a conversation with STMA Alumnus Andrew Mistele ('18) about his time at the Academy, his studies in Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University ('22), and where he's headed after graduation.

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants discuss accreditation and the fact that is neither necessary nor a guarantor of excellence in schools. It is commonly held that "Schools must be accredited." But who says, and what is accreditation? What does it do? What are its limitations? We've heard people say, "You can't get into to col…

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, Charles McCants and Kelly Jackson discuss work ethic as it relates to being a student with good academic outcomes. As teachers and administrators an ongoing challenge is trying to understand why some otherwise very good students don't seem to get the grade outcomes the (or their parents) hope for at the end of …

In response to a parent request, Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants discuss leadership formation for children. Upon reflection, it seems that leadership really comes down to some very fundamental ideas: Authority, trust, and responsibility. Looking to Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, as the ultimate leader, we understand that…

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants discuss how STMA handles academic and behavioral formation conversations. Understanding that we should properly model relationships on the Holy Trinity, and by extension the family as a foundational human relationship, at STMA, academic and behavioral formation is not a bureaucratic or insti…

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants discuss Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Lief Babin. Going chapter by chapter we discuss how the leadership principles learned by officers leading the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War can apply to our roles as parents, stud…

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants continue discussing what it means to trust the process at STMA. Pastores Dabo Vobis - Pope St. John Paul II Art of Manliness Podcast: The Power of Team Captains

Deacon Brad Watkins, Dr. Jake Noland, and Charles McCants discuss what it means to trust the process at STMA.

Deacon Brad and Dr. Noland discuss Nassim Nicholas Taleb's book Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder

Welcome to the St. Thomas More Academy podcast. Deacon Brad Watkins, Headmaster of the Academy, is joined by Dr. Jake Noland, our STMA Dean of Faculty, to talk about the formation of the whole person, especially young men and women in the Catholic liberal arts tradition, all to the greater glory of God. Thank you for this download and taking the ti…

Dr. Cal Newport says, Do fewer things. Do them better. Know why you’re doing them. Welcome to the St. Thomas More Academy podcast. Deacon Brad Watkins, Headmaster of the Academy, is joined by Dr. Jake Noland, our STMA Dean of Faculty and Athletic Director, to talk about the formation of the whole person, especially young men and women in the Cathol…

Welcome to episode fourteen of the St. Thomas More Academy podcast. Today, Dr. Jake Noland, our STMA Dean of Faculty and Athletic Director, joins our Headmaster, Deacon Brad Watkins, for a conversation with STMA Alumna Julia French ('18) about her time so far at the University of Notre Dame and her time at the Academy. As always, we thank you for t…

In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul says, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) And from the Book of Proverbs, "In all toil there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." (Proverbs 14:23) Wel…

Welcome to episode twelve of the St. Thomas More Academy podcast. Today, Dr. Jake Noland, our STMA Dean of Faculty and Athletic Director, joins our Headmaster, Deacon Brad Watkins, for a conversation with STMA Alumna Aubrey Leaser ('19) about her time so far at the University of Virginia and her time at the Academy. As always, we thank you for this…